Time and time again, I see people who want to work out but just aren’t doing it, week after week. Some can’t get started. Others start strong but can’t stay consistent. Either way, they end up frustrated and wondering what is wrong with them.
Here’s the thing. Nothing is wrong with them. Many of them are just making one simple mistake that keeps them stuck. They think of exercise like a job, something that only happens Monday through Friday.
Why Weekdays Make Exercise So Hard
For most busy adults, weekdays are the busiest days of the week. You have work, kids, aging parents, appointments, dinner, and a long list of things around the house. By the time you get a free minute, you are tired. That makes weekdays the hardest days to fit in exercise.
Here’s how this conversation usually goes with my clients:
Client: I plan to work out in the morning, but then I don’t. When I get home, I start doing things around the house and making dinner, and by the end of the night I crash. Every time I see you I say I’m going to do it, but I never do it consistently.
Me: Have you thought about working out on the weekend? A Saturday or Sunday when you aren’t going in to work?
Client: Hmm. I’ve never even thought about that.
Have you? If you keep picking your hardest, busiest days and it keeps not working, it may be time to try something different.
Weekends Are the Perfect Time to Build Momentum
Weekends are the PERFECT time to move consistently, build momentum, and knock out 2 days of your weekly exercise goal.
And the research backs this up. A large study in JAMA Internal Medicine looked at more than 350,000 U.S. adults. People who fit most of their exercise into the weekend had health benefits similar to people who spread it out over the week. What mattered most was getting the total amount of movement in, not which days it happened on.
For me, my most predictable time is my group strength training class on Friday nights. Sometimes that means saying no to dinner out, or telling people I can’t get there until 7 pm. But Friday nights are usually pretty low key for us. Working out after work on Friday gives me momentum heading into the weekend. An object in motion stays in motion.
4 Steps to Start Working Out on the Weekend
Step 1: Decide to work out on a weekend. Pick the day and the time. Put it on your calendar like any other appointment.
Step 2: Pull the trigger. Break the old pattern and say yes to moving on the weekend. This may mean saying no to sleeping in or going out. You might miss part of the football game, or ask your spouse to watch the kids for 30 minutes. But isn’t that trade worth it to drop the mental and emotional weight of “I know I should work out” again and again?
Step 3: Do it! It doesn’t matter what you do, how fast you go, how long you go, or how hard you push. A walk counts. A short video at home counts. What matters is keeping the promise you made to yourself. There will be plenty of time to “get it right” once you are moving consistently and the habit is built.
Step 4: Track it and reward yourself. To build a new habit, you need a reward at the end. Mark it on your calendar. Text a friend. Send your dietitian a note that you did it. Only watch the football game after you work out, or watch your favorite TV show while you work out. Find what feels rewarding to you (just not food). For me, I use a yearly workout tracker and check off a box every time I work out. Each box gives me a sense of pride, and that’s reward enough.
Exercise Can Become Your “Me Time”
Over time, you can start to think of working out in a new way. Instead of one more chore on your to-do list, it can become something you look forward to. That may not happen right away, and that’s okay. But the more you do it, the more it can turn into your “me time.” It can be a time to recharge and help yourself feel better, instead of losing that time to mindless scrolling on your phone.
Need Help Staying Consistent?
If you’ve had a hard time working out consistently and you’re tired of the emotional weight of wanting to but not doing it, that’s what we’re here for at The Pointe. As a dietitian and therapist, I look at both the habits and the thinking that keep people stuck. We’ll help you stay committed to the process until you find what works for you. Then we’ll keep you accountable while your new habits take hold.
We take Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and United Healthcare, and most people pay as little as $0 out of pocket. We offer telehealth plus in-person visits in Naperville and New Lenox, with day, night, and weekend appointments.
Book your free consultation at profoundlyimprovinglives.com.
